A Facebook cooldown is a temporary halt on account actions. Facebook does not announce it: it simply stops accepting posts, shows a generic error, or asks for verification. It is not a ban — which is exactly why it is the moment to prevent one.

How to recognise a cooldown

  • The post appears to send but never shows up in the group.
  • A generic error along the lines of "something went wrong, try again later".
  • A sudden verification request — an SMS code or photo identification.
  • A sharp drop in reach: the same listing gets ten views instead of a hundred.

What causes it

Almost always pace or repetition. Thirty posts in a fast burst, the identical text across dozens of groups, a repeating photo, or activity from a new IP after years in one place. Any two of those together is enough.

How long it lasts

  • A light pause — 30 to 120 minutes. The most common.
  • A medium one — 12 to 24 hours, usually after an ignored warning.
  • A posting restriction — three to seven days, already a sign the account is flagged.

What to do and what not to

Do not keep trying. Every further attempt during a pause extends it and moves you closer to a real ban. Do not switch IP or turn on a VPN mid-way — that looks precisely like evasion.

Do stop completely for a few hours and come back at half your usual pace for a day or two. Do use the account normally meanwhile — read, comment, like. An account that keeps behaving like a person recovers faster.

A sane bot does this by itself. The BuzzPost bot detects the rate-limit error and pauses itself: 12 hours on the first block, 24 and 48 hours on consecutive ones. A Telegram alert goes out at the same time, instead of hammering at a closed door.

How to prevent it

  • Spread posting across hours with randomised delays, not in a queue.
  • A listing rewritten for each group rather than copied.
  • A light change to the photo before every upload.
  • A new account starts at 5–10 groups a day and builds up gradually.

Frequently asked questions

Is a cooldown the same as a ban?

No. A cooldown clears by itself within hours. A ban requires an appeal and is not always reversed.

Can I get around a cooldown with a second account?

You can, but if both accounts run from the same browser and address, Facebook links them and flags both. An isolated browser profile per account is a baseline requirement.